There are umpteen Indian films that are replete with enjoyable drama and romance. Of late, we have also seen many well-executed thriller movies. However, that’s not the case with horror films. Horror is one genre that has seen few Hindi films that are actually very good.
We at Binged have compiled a list of five must-watch Hindi horror films that you can watch across various OTT platforms this weekend. We hope you will enjoy watching these films in case you still haven’t.
1. Bhoot (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
Ram Gopal Varma reinvented the horror genre back in the year 1992 with the Revathi starrer horror flick ‘Raat. ‘Bhoot’ was further fine-tuned for new millennial horror aficionados. The film follows a married couple (played by Ajay Devgn and Urmila Matondkar), who move into an apartment whose previous occupant had apparently committed suicide.
Soon after, the wife starts to exhibit uncanny behavior. Initially construed as a psychological disorder, the husband eventually realizes that his wife’s condition is not as straightforward. When the situation takes a ‘deadly’ turn, the husband calls in an exorcist (Rekha) amidst an ongoing police investigation by a cop (Nana Patekar).
Urmila’s performance in the film, particularly in the possession scenes, was truly admirable. And equally effective was Ram Gopal Varma’s slick direction.
2. Tumbbad (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
Another turning point for the Indian horror genre and a technical marvel, ‘Tumbbad’ is a period horror film set in the 1920s. The visually opulent film is essentially a simple tale of greed, beautifully disguised as an unadulterated horror film.
‘Tumbbad’ follows the story of Vinayak Rao (played by Sohum Shah) and his perpetual greed for the apparently eternal wealth that is stored underneath a crumbling castle. However, to earn a few gold coins, every time Vinayak Rao must confront a dreadful entity named ‘Hastar’. If you are a fan of the genre, ‘Tumbbad’ should rank amongst the top horror films to watch.
3. Pari (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
‘Pari’ is an underrated supernatural horror film starring Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, and Rajat Kapoor. The film was helmed by Prosit Roy, who later directed Amazon Prime Video’s acclaimed web series ‘Paatal Lok’.
The story revolves around a printing press owner, who finds a woman chained inside an old hut. Out of pity, he takes her to his place, not knowing that about the woman’s true characteristics. The story takes an interesting turn when a demon-killing professor tells him about the woman’s reality. The film is a unique blend of horror, driven forward by a bizarre love story. An earnest effort and an interesting watching experience.
4. Ek Thi Daayan (Streaming on ALTBalaji)
Perhaps the film’s only downside is the somewhat over-the-top climax. Nevertheless, all other aspects including the nicely brought-out mystery revelation makes the film a must-watch and worthy of a sequel.
The film featured Emran Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kalki Koechlin and Pawan Malhotra in prominent roles. The film was directed by Kannan Iyer. Many film critics also gave the movie positive reviews.
5. Bulbbul (Streaming on Netflix)
The Anvita Dutt directorial is a period horror film set in the nineteenth century Bengal Presidency. The film follows a five-year-old child bride called Bulbbul (played by Tripti Dimri) and her growing friendship with her husband’s (Rahul Bose) youngest brother Satya (Avinash Tiwary).
Bulbbul’s life takes an unexpected turn when Satya is sent to London by her jealous husband. When Satya comes back twenty years later, he finds an eerie change in Bulbbul’s personality. Satya also becomes wary of the mysterious killings happening in the village allegedly by a chudail with backward feet.
‘Bulbbul‘ also featured Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Paoli Dam. The film was praised for its performances, background music, and for being a visual spectacle.